PHOTO: Courtesy of WLUK
OSHKOSH, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — In less than a month, the sights and sounds of aircraft will take over the skies of Oshkosh.
But some enthusiasts couldn’t contain their excitement and were already staking out their perfect spot when campgrounds opened Friday.
Dick Knapinski with EAA says that early turnout is a tradition among dedicated fans.
“We get people who have camped in the same spot for three and four decades,” he said. “So they get here opening day and pay for their campsite for the entire month because they want THAT spot. It might be shaded, it might be next to a group of people who they meet once a year here, and their families have grown up next to one another.”
Peter and Tim Finet travelled from Lake Geneva with their grandpa to get their spot as soon as possible.
“This is our first time coming here to set it up. It’s chill. It’s really cool how there’s like, no cars over there. But there’s not,” said Peter.
Tim added, “Last year it was pretty bad.”
Volunteers for the event arrived even earlier, including Craig Fitzsimmons, who has been traveling from Sorento, Florida, since 1979 to volunteer.
“I’ve been here volunteering along with my wife, Bonnie, and everyone else here on the deck since May 30,” Fitzsimmons said. “And will not go home until close to the end of September.”
Fitzsimmons is chairman for the Comms Center for EAA AirVenture, which provides the PA for the airshow and all the radio equipment.
When asked if it ever gets old?
“I get old, but it doesn’t get old,” Fitzsimmons joked. “It’s such a great group of folks, that’s the key thing.”
The EAA team still has plenty to do before the big event, but Knapinski is looking forward to those planes heading into the airport.
“They will start to come in, some volunteers will come in, but really the week before, we’ll start to see that influx and the weekend before, we do become the world’s busiest airport,” he said.
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